“Decharut” Urges Government to Answer 2 Questions Over Major Firm's “Holy Basil” Plant Variety Rights, Asking How It Distinctly Differs From Common Varieties and Questioning Whether “Benefit-Sharing” Is Fair to Society

Today (26 October 2026) at 9:30 AM at Parliament, Mr. Decharut Sukkumnoed, People's Party management team member for new quality of life and health, together with Mr. Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the opposition, and Mr. Weerayuth Kanchoochat, deputy party leader, held a press conference on behalf of the People's Party Shadow Cabinet (17th meeting) regarding holy basil and the Plant Variety Protection Act, following widespread debate and public concern.

Mr. Decharut addressed the registration of Kaew Sor holy basil under the Plant Variety Protection Act by CPRam Co., Ltd. (CPRam), noting that it generated public debate and anxiety because holy basil is a plant widely cultivated by both the general public and farmers, while the daily trading, exchange, and utilization of holy basil leaves do not clearly distinguish between varieties. Although investigations have provided clarity to a certain extent—confirming that registration does not cover general holy basil varieties, of which there are over 300, but applies exclusively to 4 varieties co-developed by the private company and Kasetsart University—lingering doubts led the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives to order an inspection into whether the private firm's registration process complied fully with the law.

Mr. Decharut continued that to resolve public skepticism and lead toward amendments to the Plant Variety Protection Act that meet public needs, two crucial questions must be raised alongside a proposal to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. He affirmed that the People's Party prioritizes supporting plant variety research and development to enhance the quality and efficiency of agricultural yields, while simultaneously emphasizing equal rights for farmers regarding seed access, conservation, and utilization of genetic resources.

The two key questions are: 1. How do these 4 holy basil varieties differ in noticeable characteristics from common holy basil so that the public can clearly observe the distinction? Information should be disclosed starting from the CPR1 variety to build clear understanding, relieve concerns, and enable people to differentiate them; and 2. How fair is the benefit-sharing returned to the state? Since the development of these 4 varieties involved breeding from wild indigenous holy basil, the law requires permission and a benefit-sharing agreement to contribute revenue to the Plant Variety Protection Fund, raising questions over the value and appropriateness of agreements made under Section 52.

Mr. Decharut noted that while the Department of Agriculture explained that such agreements are confidential and cannot be disclosed without a court order, a review of the Plant Variety Protection Fund's 2027 annual report—the year these 4 holy basil varieties were registered—revealed total fund revenue of only 366,688 baht. This suggests that revenue generated from the holy basil benefit-sharing agreement likely does not exceed this figure, representing the entirety of revenue received by the fund from benefit-sharing agreements that year. Furthermore, out of 207 Section 52 agreements across 75 private entities, the Plant Variety Protection Fund received a total revenue of just 467,000 baht, prompting questions over whether benefit-sharing at this level is fair to the broader public. He added that citing non-disclosure laws may stem from a misunderstanding, as Section 63 strictly protects and prohibits the disclosure of breeding process details of the registrant only.

In addition, Mr. Decharut detailed the Shadow Cabinet's proposals, warning that the development of holy basil varieties by a major buyer like CPRam could influence future cultivation and breeding decisions, potentially affecting the biodiversity of Thai holy basil. Therefore, he urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to take 2 actions: 1. Accelerate establishing a comprehensive database of all 300 Thai holy basil varieties, including origin locations, variety characteristics, and local communities involved in conservation, to promote suitable cultivation, marketing, and processing for each variety; and 2. Where local or endemic holy basil varieties are identified, the Ministry of Agriculture should support local communities in registering them as local endemic plant varieties under Section 45, while promoting the processing of native holy basil into beverages, dietary supplements, or herbal remedies and ensuring fair benefit-sharing for conserving communities, which would better serve the public interest than serving commercial operators alone.

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong